Baby Turtle

Every turtle the kids have ever owned never made it. If you have a local pet store, such as Petco or Petsmart, call them. Ask them for any type of information about these guys. I know they are hard to keep alive. If all else fails, can you release him in a pond or stream??

You can't release him, depending on his species. Most turtles kept in captivity can not readapt once put back into the wild, so please don't do that. Get him a bigger tank with a heat lamp and make sure he has land to rest on and water to swim in. I think they do actually sell kits with everything you'll need in them at Petco.

I had a painted turtle for several years as a child. I would try to get a tank for him- make it part water with land/rocks that he can also crawl onto. The little container may work for awhile, but these guys will eventually get big and need more space. They do sell food in pellet form for turtles, in addition our turtle LOVED chicken torn into little stips, we would hand feed it to him. It's better to put the food into the water, the turtle will have an easier time finding and eating it that way. Make sure you wash your hands good after handling because in some cases turtles and other reptiles can carry salmonella. HTH!

MAKE SURE THAT YOU & CHILDREN WASH HANDS AFTER HOLDING TURTLE>>>
A 1975 U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulation bans the sale (for general commercial and public use) of turtle eggs and turtles with a carapace length of less than 4 inches (100 mm). This regulation comes under the Public Health Service Act and is enforced by the FDA in cooperation with State and local health jurisdictions. The ban has been effective in the U.S. since 1975 because of the public health impact of turtle-associated Salmonella. Turtles and turtle eggs found to be offered for sale in violation of this provision are subject to destruction in accordance with FDA procedures. A fine of up to $1,000 and/or imprisonment for up to one year is the penalty for those who refuse to comply with a valid final demand for destruction of such turtles or their eggs.

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Red-eared Sliders are omnivores and eat a variety of animal and plant materials in the wild including, but not limited to fish, crayfish, carrion, tadpoles, snails, crickets, wax worms, aquatic insects and numerous aquatic plant species. The captive diet for pet Red-eared Sliders should be a varied diet consisting of feeder fish, aquatic plants and other natural foods. They should never be fed commercial dog food, cat food and fish chow. Commercial turtle foods can be used sparingly and should not be used as the primary food. [4] Calcium (for shell health) can be supplemented by adding pieces of cuttlebone to the diet. A nutritious food readily accepted by young turtles is baby clams soaked in krill oil covered with powdered coral calcium. Younger turtles tend to be more carnivorous (eat more animal protein) than adults do. As they grow larger and older, they become increasingly herbivorous. Live foods are particularly enjoyed

Hibernation:: Red-eared Sliders hibernate the winter at the bottom of ponds or shallow lakes. They become inactive,  in October, when temperatures fall below 50°F.They usually go underwater. They have  been found under banks and hollow stumps and rocks. In warmer winter climates they can become active and come to the surface for basking. When the temperature begins to drop again,  they will  return to hibernation state. Sliders will generally come up for food in early March to as late as the end of April. Red Eared Sliders kept captive indoors, should not hibernate. To prevent attempted hibernation in an aquarium, lights should be on for 12-14 hours per day and the water temperature should be maintained between 76-80 degrees F. Water temperatures must be under 55 degrees

Ideal conditions in captivity
High water quality. Even with powerful filters, frequent water changes are needed.
UVB light. "Full spectrum" and reptile UVB fluorescent lights are not equal substitutes for direct unfiltered sunlight. Even UVB heat lamps or mercury vapor lights are not proven to be equal substitutes for direct unfiltered sunlight. However, these two latter bulbs produce higher levels of UVB. UVB from sunlight and artificial UVB light is filtered out if glass or plastic is between the bulb and the basking area.
Hibernation or brumation is not possible indoors at room temperature. Twelve hours of light per day helps prevent hibernation.
Mature female turtles not kept with males can lay infertile eggs. Females can also remain fertile for several years after a mating and lay fertile eggs. Mature females must have a desireable land area to lay eggs in. Laying eggs in water is unnatural and not healthy

There is a turtle group on here that has info posted on care and upkeep. You should join!